Water-motor



J. G. GRACEY,

WATER MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15. I919.

Patented Oct. 28,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I A TTORNE Y.

THE COLUMBIA PLANGGRM'! m, WASHINGTON H t J. G. GRACEY.

WATER MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-15. l9l9. 1,319,767. Patented Oct. 28,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- l. G. GRACEY.

WATER MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- 15. 1919. 1,319,767. Patented Oct. 28,1919.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

JAMES G. GRACEY, OF ST, LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO EMIL C.

GANAHL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

WATER-MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

Application filed February 15, 1919. Serial No. 277,196.

To all whom it may-concern Be it known that 1, JAMES G. GRAOEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water- Motors, of Which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

The present invention is directed to im provements in water-motors of the type in which a series of oscillating blades wholly or partly submerged in a stream or other flowing body of water are successively brought into position to be acted on by the current, the pressure of the water against the blade operating to oscillate the blade and rotate the rotor on which the blade is mounted, about a fixed axis, said axis, in the present embodiment of my invention, being perpendicular to the axis about which the blade mus-t be oscillated or swung to be brought into operative position relatively to the current. The object sought by the present invention is to construct a motor in which the blades that are temporarily inactive will plow through the water with a minimum degree of resistance thereby increasing the efficiency of the motor to a maximum; one which is simple in construction and containing a minimum number of parts; one which may be converted into a ship propeller and substituted for the conventional paddle wheel; one in which the position of the feathering blade is dependent on that of the active blade, the former being directly controlled by the latter; one in which the Water motor may readily be supplemented by an air motor mounted opposite thereto and in substantial alinement therewith; and one containing structural features possessing obvious advantages as will more fully and clearly appear from the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents an elevation of two of my improved motors coupled to a common drive-shaft from which power may be transmitted to any suitable machiner Fig. 2 is a top plan of the girder or structural member I supporting the drive-shaft and motor-shafts; Fig. 3 is an enlarged topplan of the motor with the motor-shaft in cross-section; Fig. 4: is an enlarged vertical sectional detail on the line 4i of Fig. 3, showing the clamp or brake for the cable connecting a pair of complementary blades; Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional detail on the line 55 of Fig. 3 showing the manner of hinging a blade; Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional detail through the motor-shaft on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional detail on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3, parts being in elevation; and Fig. 8 is an elevation of a water-motor with a windmotor operating in conjunction therewith.

Referring to the drawings, and for the present to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, P, P, represent piers disposed along a stream or current and spaced a suitable distance apart across the current, the said piers supporting between them a. girder made up of structural member B, B, spaced apart and braced by struts b, the latter in addition serving to partially support the bearings D, D, for the" drlve or powertransmitting shaft S, from which the power is transmitted by the belt pulley E to any suitable machinery (not shown). The shaft S terminates in the bevel pinion t which mesh with the bevel gears h at the upper ends of the vertical motorshafts 1, the latter being formed with enlarged portions 1' mounted in vertically elongated tubular bearings 2 to afford a rigid support for the shaft, the bearings being secured between the beams B by bolts passed through suitable wings to formed or cast with the bearings. To reduce the friction the portion 1 is preferably formed with suitable ball raceways and antifriction balls well understood in the art, the upper end of the shaft 1 passing through the gland 3 of the bearing as shown. The shaft 1 extends through the bottom of the bearing 2, the main portion of the shaft being below said hearing. The motors being alike, a description of one will suflice for both. In Fig. 1 the horizontal dotted lines 00, a, represent respectively the highest and lowest levels of the stream, the motor-shaft being of suflicient length to always have the major portion thereof submerged in the water. Secured to the shaft 1 at a point substantially on a level with the line w is a hub or spider 4, a similar hub or spider 4 being secured to the lower free end 'of the shaft, each spider being formed with radial arms a set ninety degrees apart. To the arms a are secured the inner ends of the channels,

bars or structural members 5, the spiders being so set as to bring a bar 5 leading from the arm of one spider in the same vertical plane with a corresponding bar leading from an arm of the other spider, the outer ends of the thus superposed bars being connected by the vertical rods 6, the whole being surmounted by an annular channel or ring 7 resting on the edges of the flanges of the upper members 5, suitable filler blocks 8 (Fig. 5) being interposed between the members 5 and 7. The shaft 1 with its radiating pairs of bars 5, 5, and connecting members 6, and ring 7 constitute the rotor, and While here shown as comprising the elements aforesaid, it is obvious that the same may be changed in various ways known to the skilled mechanic without involving a departure from the spirit of the invention. The rotor should however at all times be a skeleton-like open structure so as to offer a minimum resistance to the flow of the water. The members 5, 5, are ninety degrees apart, and each pair of top and bottom members with their outer connecting rod 6 may be regarded as an arm or spoke of the rotor, an arm on one side of the shaft 1 being in the same vertical plane with the corresponding arm diametrically opposite thereto. Formed with, or riveted to, the upper channels 5 of each rotor arm, and projecting laterally therefrom, are lugs or ears 9 arranged in pairs and spaced apart, the inner pairs of lugs being disposed adjacent the rotor-shaft 1, and the outer pairs at the outer terminals of the members 5, or adjacent the periphery of the rotor. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the lugs 9 on one arm of the rotor point in a direction opposite to the corresponding lugs on the diametrically opposite arm, all lugs however pointing tangentially in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the rotor as will hereinafter more fully appear. It may be stated in passing that the rotor on the right in Fig. 1 rotates in one direction (clockwise) while that on the left rotates in theopposite direction (counter-clockwise) for the better distribution and equalization of the strains imposed on the blades of the rotors. With the exception that one rotor is a right and the other a left both rotors are alike and a description of one sufiices for both.

Hinged to the ears or lugs 9 of the respective rotor arms are blades, each blade comprising a U-shaped frame 10 composed of tubing, the same having secured thereto a metallic (or equivalent) sheet 11, preferably by means of clips 12 passed around the tubing and with their ends riveted to the sheet, the hinged terminals of the blades carrying eye-bolts or pins 13 looped about the hinge pins 1 1 supported between the lugs or ears 9, 9, (Fig. 5). Obviously, any other equivalent manner of hinging the blades may be resorted to, or as may appeal to the skilled mechanic. In the present embodiment of the invention, the several blades when free from the. action of the current hang suspended at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees to the vertical (or horizontal), a blade on one arm of the rotor being coupled to a blade diagonally opposite thereto on the diametrically opposite arm, by means of a cable 15 the intermediate portions of which pass over the horizontal guide rollers or pulleys 16 on the rotor arms, and over the horizontal. guide sheaves or rollers 16 mounted loosely on the shaft 1, there being a sheave for each cable (Fig. 7), the bottom sheave being supported by a collar 6 secured to the shaft. The cable is further guided over the vertical guide rollers or pulleys 17 on the outer ring 7 of the rotor, the ends of the cable being secured to the free cross member or tube of the blade frame. The length of the cable 15 is such that when disposed in the manner shown, the respective blades are allowed to drop to an angle of forty-five (45) degrees, so that when one of the blades is forced to a vertical position or into a substantially vertical plane by the action of the current, its complementary blade will be lifted (by the action of the cable) into a horizontal or feathering position or plane so as to ofler little resistance to its passage through the water (Fig. 3). Obviously, the cable 15 must pass around one pulley 16 on one side and around the opposite pulley on the opposite side to serve its purpose. The pulleys 16 are mounted on posts 18 projecting from the rotor arms, the pulleys 17 being mounted on castings or shoes 19 secured to the ring 7 To lock the wings against oscillation, asuitable brake or clamp may be provided to grip the cable against movement. In the present embodiment of the invention I provide two of the rotor arms each with a standard or post 20 with which is formed an arm 20 provided on the upper surface of its free end with a depression cl for the passage of the cable 15, the top of the post having fulcrumed thereto at an intermediate point a vertically oscillating brake lever 21 whose free end is provided with a complementary depression d for engaging the upper peripheral port-ion of the cable, a flexed spring 22 having its fixed end secured to the post and its free end bearing against the under side of the adjacent lever arm, forcing the free end of the opposite arm of the lever into firm engagement with the cable, thereby serving as a brake for the cable and holding the same against movement. To avoid undue straining of'the blades by a strong current, the spring will yield sufficiently to permit the blades to adjust themselves to positions where they will offer the least degree of re sistance to the current in their locked positions; and assuming that both sets of blades thereof, pulling down on the link and bring ing the opening 0 at the free end thereof in register with a hole 0 formed in the lug or ear- 24 at the adjacent terminal of a plate 25 secured to the arm 5, and then inserting a pin 26 therethrough, the pin being secured to one end of a chain 27, the opposite end of the chain being fastened to the member 5. The

released position of the lever 21 is shown in Fig. 4:, it being obvious from the drawing that the cable 15 is again free to respond to the movements of the blades imposed thereon by the action of the current. The post 20 is provided with a foot piece 20 by which it is bolted or riveted to the member 5.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the blades operate in pairs, a blade on one side of a rotor arm being coupled to its complementary blade on the diametrically opposite arm, whereby the blades of any pair are on opposite sides of the common vertical plane through the axis of the rotor in which plane the rotor arms from which the blades are suspended, are disposed. rent strikes a blade, that particular blade is forced into a vertical position against the rotor arm from which it is suspended (the free end of the blade slightly overlapping the lower edge of the rotor arm, Fig. 1), the draft on the cable 15 in such vertical oscillation of said blade causing the complementary blade to be lifted into a horizontal plane (Fig. 3). The pressure of the current against the vertically depressed blade causes the rotor to rotate in the direction in which the current pressure is exerted; and when that particular blade passes. beyond the influence of the current (which it will do as soon as the next succeeding blade presents itself to the current in the rotation of the rotor) the tension or pull on the cable by the now released blade is relaxed, allowing said blade to be raised by the weight of the complementary blade which now drops from its horizontal position to a position of forty-five degrees to the vertical, raising the released blade to a corresponding angle, it being understood of course that the blades balance each other when released. In the example before us, where we have four blades set ninety degrees apart there will naturally be an impulse every quarter revolution of the rotor shaft 1. In Fig. 3, and at the right hand side of Fig. 1, the blades are shown hinged on the left side of their respective rotor arms so that when the As the curcurrent acts against the blades the rotor will revolve clockwise. In the rotor at the left in Fig. 1, the blades are hinged on the right side of their rotor arms so that with the current acting against the blades, the rotor will revolve counter-clockwise. As stated above, if it be desired to stop the rotor, the operator simply releases the levers 21 by uncoupling the links 23 from the lugs or ears 24, allowing the cables 15 to be gripped or held against movement by the jaws 20, 21, under the action of the springs 22, the rotor coming to a stop because the blades are no longer free to respond to the pressure of the current and hence can not communicate said pressure to advantage to the rotor arms.

It is apparent that the details of construction are susceptible of considerable modification without involving a departure from the nature or spirit of the invention. In the present embodiment of the invention the blades return totheir free or suspended normal position under the action of gravity, but I am not to be limited to gravity to re storing the blades to such normal position. The several blades here shown oscillate about horizontal axes, the blades of one pair oscillating about a common axis intersecting the axis of oscillation of the other pair (orpairs where there are more than two pairs) at the rotor axis. These horizontal axes are herein shown as disposed in a common horizontal plane, but it is obvious that I need not be limited to this specific disposition of the blades.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the rotor shaft 1 can not conveniently be supported at its lower end, and it is for this reason that I resort to an elongated bearing 2 for the upper end of the shaft so as to give the latter a rigid support. With the exception of the blades which may be wholly or partially submerged (depending on the position of the water levels :2, 00), the gearing, cable supports and brake mechanism or cable gripper and cooperating parts are clear of the water and above the highest point reached by the current, the object being of course to keep these parts as dry as possible.

In some instances (see Fig. 8) the rotor shaft may be provided with an extension 1" which may be coupled to, or made continuous with the rotor shaft 30 of a. wind motor W, patterned after the water motor, the two motors jointly contributing to rotate the shaft S. In the illustration referred to (Fig. 8), the water and wind motors obviously revolve in the same direction. Under my invention I am not to be restricted to 'blades oscillating about horizontal axes, as it is quite obvious that they may be made to oscillate about vertical axes.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a water motor, a rotor, a vertical shaft alined with the rotation axis thereof and extending above the rotor, a plurality of vertically oscillating blades operating in pairs mounted on the rotor on opposite sides of the axis thereof, the blades of each pair being disposed on opposite sides of a vertical plane through the rotation axis of the rotor and normally suspended at an angle of forty-five degrees to said plane, suitable cable connections between the blades where by one blade in its oscillations may directly control the oscillations of the opposite blade, and means for guiding said cables.

2. In a water motor, a rotor, a vertical shaft alined with the rotation axis thereof and extending above the rotor, a plurality of vertically oscillating blades suspended from the rotor on opposite sides of the axis and operating in pairs, the blades of each pair being disposed on opposite sides of a vertical plane through the rotor axis and normally inclined at an angle of forty-five degrees to said plane, suitable cable connections between the blades for permitting control of one blade by the other, and means for being disposed on opposite sides of a vertical plane through the rotation axis and inclined at the same angle to said plane, cable connections between the blades permitting control of one blade over the opposite blade, means for supporting the shaft at a point above the rotor, and means on the shaft for guiding the cables.

4. In a water motor, a rotor, oscillating blades operating in pairs, cable connections between the blades, and gripping devices on the rotor for holding the cables against movement whereby the blades are locked against oscillation.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa ture, in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES G. GRACEY.

Witnesses:

EMIL STAREK, ELSE M. SreGEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

